Keep up to date on all the latest developments in the world of health with talkhealth’s weekly round-up! In this week’s round-up of the top news stories in the world of health, we’ll be discussing the newly introduced sugar taxes on soft drinks in the UK, research that suggest we may not be as fit as we think and plans to open new cancer diagnosis centres in the UK.
New sugar taxes on soft drinks
As of today, there are new sugar taxes coming into effect that will have an impact on fizzy drinks especially. As reported on the BBC, manufacturers of soft drinks will now have to pay a levy on any high-sugar drinks they produce and sell. Following in the footsteps of France, Norway and Mexico, who also enforce similar systems, the new levy aims to force the price of these high-sugar drinks up, making them less appealing.
Alternatively, many manufacturers can opt to reduce the sugar levels found in their drinks to avoid the new taxation. Already, it has been seen that some brands, such as Irn-Bru and Lucozade have cut down the amount of sugar in their drinks, from 10.3g and 13g to 4.7g and 4.5g per 100g, respectively.
However, there is still much debate around the levy. For one, diet drinks will not be affected by the new laws, as they include sweeteners instead of sugar, despite recent research that suggests that diet drinks still have a negative impact on our health.
These new laws are part of a combined effort to help lower obesity in the UK, with further sugar taxation expected for sweets and other food in the future. With obesity-related hospital admissions doubling in over 4 years, it’s clear that the UK government are taking swift action in an attempt to combat the situation.
If you are struggling with your weight or have any hints and tips to help with weight loss, head to our dedicated talkhealth forum for weight.
Low levels of fitness
Alongside the worries about our diet, a recent study shows that fitness levels in the UK are also lacklustre. The study found that three in 10 adults were unable to climb stairs without feeling out of breath.
In addition to this, 75% of respondents stated that they wouldn’t feel comfortable playing a game of football or netball in their current state, and a third claiming that they wouldn’t be able to run a mile if their life depended on it.
With 44% of those surveyed stating that they felt their fitness levels affected their day-to-day life, there’s clearly a strong case for everyone to get out there and start working towards a fitter, better you.
If you are looking for advice on getting fit or have your own pearls of wisdom you’d like to pass on, you can head over to our men’s health and women’s health forums.
Ten cancer diagnosis centres planned for England
Finally, it has been announced this week that there will be ten “one-stop-shop” cancer diagnosis centres coming to the UK.
Designed to help improve rapid diagnosis of multiple cancers, the new centres aim to cut down the wait time for an all-clear or diagnosis. As it stands, many patients find themselves being referred to several specialists before an official diagnosis is made. These new centres aim to cut down wait time for the patient and alleviate the overstretched NHS services.
Furthermore, the UK will also be opening its first photon beam cancer centre in Newport. Developed to help those battling life-threatening cancers, the new procedure will help provide support that patients would previously have had to seek out overseas. It is estimated that treatment will cost around £60,000 per patient.
And that’s it for the biggest health stories in the news this week. Be sure to join talkhealth next week to keep on top of all the latest goings on in health!
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This is the talkhealth blog spot, where we post on a wide range of health conditions, topics, issues and concerns. We post when we see something that we believe is of interest to our visitors. Our posts do not reflect any particular view or standpoint of talkhealth, but are merely to raise attention and awareness.
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